Speaking to the BBC, the up-and-coming Michael Keane spoke candidly about how he lost control after an infection in his foot from which he could not be cured. "I didn't want to go out, I didn't want to see anyone. I was ashamed of the way things were going on the pitch. I broke down and cried," he said.
Michael Keane arrived at Everton with 24 years and a promising future ahead of him. But there began a nightmare that still haunts him. A foot infection, unusual for a footballer, led to him being hospitalised. He spoke of this ordeal on the BBC.
"I didn't want to go out, I didn't want to see anyone. I was ashamed of the way things were going on the pitch. I broke down and cried and told my family how I felt. I hit rock bottom. From then on, with the help of my family and friends, I started talking to sports psychologists, something I still do today."
Now he understands that his desire to force even the injured was in vain: "At that time I wanted to be with my colleagues, we were having a bad time. I didn't want to be seen as the one who throws in the towel, even though I was injured... but it wasn't the best thing."
This is how he came to his commitment to help a mental health charity. "It's hard if you've never done it before. Maybe pride slows you down, but it's completely normal and it's okay to do it. Talking to someone helps a lot, I know from my own experience," he shared.
Keane came clean about how he lost control after a foot infection he couldn't cure. "I didn't want to go out, I didn't want to see anyone. I was ashamed of the way things were going on the pitch. I broke down and cried," he said.